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Community Water System · PWS WA5395910

Lwwsd - South Shore Water System

Bellingham, Washington 98229 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 10,028 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

10,028
People served
107
EPA violations
3
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 107 drinking-water violations at Lwwsd - South Shore Water System, 3% of them health-based - above the Washington per-system average.

107
Total EPA violations on record
3%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
10,028
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Lwwsd - South Shore Water System

Lwwsd - South Shore Water System is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 10,028 residents in Bellingham, Washington (Whatcom County) through 4,011 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 107 total violations for this system , of which 3 (3%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 103 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2012.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, recorded in 5 violations (MR). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.

Across Washington, EPA tracks 4,557 public water systems serving 9,736,844 people, with 314,648 cumulative violations and 20,590 health-based violations on record. About 92% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 69 violations. Statewide, 98 of 247 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (39.7%).

Lwwsd - South Shore Water System's 107 violations sit above the Washington average.

All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

Population Served
10,028
Total Violations
107
Health-Based Violations
3
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
4,011
County
Whatcom
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
2
Monitoring Violations
103
Treatment Tech Violations
1

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 5 2007
DICHLOROMETHANE MR 5 2007
Vinyl chloride MR 5 2007
1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 5 2007
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 5 2007
1,2-Dichloroethane MR 5 2007
Carbon tetrachloride MR 5 2007
1,2-Dichloropropane MR 5 2007
Trichloroethylene MR 5 2007
Tetrachloroethylene MR 5 2007
Benzene MR 5 2007
Toluene MR 5 2007
Styrene MR 5 2007
1,1,2-Trichloroethane MR 5 2007
CHLOROBENZENE MR 5 2007
p-Dichlorobenzene MR 5 2007
1,1,1-Trichloroethane MR 5 2007
Ethylbenzene MR 5 2007
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 5 2007
o-Dichlorobenzene MR 5 2007
Coliform (TCR) MR 2 1996
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 1 2012
Cadmium MCL 1 1979
Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 1 1993
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U MR 1 1979
Coliform (TCR) MCL 1 2004

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 58 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFNA 6/2/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 6/2/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 6/2/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 6/2/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 6/2/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 6/2/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 6/2/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 6/2/2025 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 6/2/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 6/2/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 6/2/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 6/2/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 6/2/2025 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 6/2/2025 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 6/2/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 6/2/2025 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 6/2/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 6/2/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 3/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 3/18/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 3/18/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 3/18/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 3/18/2025 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 3/18/2025 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 3/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 3/18/2025 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 3/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 3/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 3/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 3/18/2025 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 3/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 3/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 3/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 3/18/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 3/18/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 3/18/2025 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 3/18/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 3/18/2025 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 3/18/2025 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for Lwwsd - South Shore Water System.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID WA5395910 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Washington Drinking Water Authority

Washington State Department of Health, Office of Drinking Water is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects Lwwsd - South Shore Water System under EPA-delegated authority.

Open WA regulator portal

Source: Washington State Department of Health, Office of Drinking Water

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2012 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 1 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 7000
2007 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 5 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 2378
2007 DICHLOROMETHANE MR 5 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 2964
2007 Vinyl chloride MR 5 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 2976
2007 1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 5 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 2977
2007 trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 5 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 2979
2007 1,2-Dichloroethane MR 5 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 2980
2007 Carbon tetrachloride MR 5 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 2982
2007 1,2-Dichloropropane MR 5 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 2983
2007 Trichloroethylene MR 5 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 2984
2007 Tetrachloroethylene MR 5 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 2987
2007 Benzene MR 5 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 2990
2007 Toluene MR 5 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 2991
2007 Styrene MR 5 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 2996
2007 1,1,2-Trichloroethane MR 5 SDWIS / WA5395910 / 2985

How Lwwsd - South Shore Water System Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric Lwwsd - South Shore Water System Washington avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 107 69 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 3 4.5 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection None 39.7% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 10,028 2,137 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 4,557 regulated public water systems in Washington.

Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026)
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lwwsd - South Shore Water System water safe to drink?
Lwwsd - South Shore Water System (PWS ID: WA5395910) has 107 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 10,028 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Lwwsd - South Shore Water System serve?
Lwwsd - South Shore Water System serves 10,028 people in Bellingham, Washington. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 4,011 service connections.
What type of violations does Lwwsd - South Shore Water System have?
Lwwsd - South Shore Water System has 107 total violations: 3 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 103 monitoring/reporting violations, and 1 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Lwwsd - South Shore Water System water?
No. Lwwsd - South Shore Water System was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does Lwwsd - South Shore Water System use?
Lwwsd - South Shore Water System uses Surface Water as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from?
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.
Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.